to the said doctor Williame hir husband the tyme of his deceas conforme to ane Inventer and Catalogue thairof subscryuit be the said Barbarae this seventein day of februar instant Thairfoir the prowest Baileis and counsell of the said brughe acknoweledging with all thankfulnes the benefit redounding to the said toune and colledge be the said mortificatioun Ordaines the saidis haill mathimaticall buikis and instrumentis to be put wethin the said colledge librarie and thair to be delyverit be inventar to master Robert Downie Bibliothecar to be keipit be him and maid extant and furthcumand in tyme cuming to the vse foirsaid whairwnto they ar givin and destinat be the said Barbarae Forbes lyk as they ordaine the said master Robert Downie to give ane not under his hand to the said Barbarae wpoun his recept of the saidis haill buikis and instrumentis conforme to the catalogue thairof From the Town Council Register, Vol. lii., p. 617. designaretur; in qua, se ita gessit provincia, ut et maximam famam et insolitam comparaverit doctrinam. Post ergo peragratas Regiones exteras, post frequentatas florentissimas Europa Scholas, et lustrata bellorum Castra, à Senatu Abredonensi, in patriam revocatus, ut Superiorum Mathematum professionem, à Liddelio recens institutam, primus capesseret; tantâ multifariæ eruditionis supellectile onustus rediit, ut inter præstantissimos illorum temporum Philologos, Medicos, Mathematicos, Botanicos, etc., meritissimò numeraretur: Et non tantum eximiâ doctrinâ, et rarâ in docendo fœlicitate, disciplinas Mathematicas, dum in vivorum versabatur contuberniis, excolere et propagare annisus est; sed etiam cavere voluit, ne a posteris negligerentur; huncque in Laborum et Instrumentorum Mathematicorum supplevit inopiam, omnemque, quam magnis comparaverat sumptibus, supellectilem, Bibliothecæ nostræ legavit." (Smith's Oratio, p. 24.) "De GULIELMO certè idem usurpare possumus, quod olim de Tito Imperatore suavissimo dictum est, Delicia est humani generis; tanta est ejus comitas, tanta urbanitas." (Strachan's Panegyricus Inauguralis dictus Anno 1630, p. 22.) See also Sir Thomas Urquhart's Tracts, 1774, p. 125; Jaffray's Diary, 1833, pp. 127, 238; Baron's Apodixis Catholica, 1631, p. 29; Forbes' Funerals, Ed. of 1845, p. 365; Maidment's Catalogues of Scottish Writers, 1833, p. 114; Gordon's Scots Affairs, Vol. iii., 1842, p. 208; Irving's Lives, 1839, Vol. ii., p. 39; Johnston's Johnstons of that Ilk, 1832, p. 38; Johnston's James Young and Rachel Cruickshank, 1850, App. p. 41.) On the Heraldic Ceiling the same arms were assigned to William Johnston as to John Johnston (supra, p. 114). Two "broads" commemorate the former, one showing his arms as Argent, a saltire sable, on a chief [gules] three cushions or, in base a flower [tulip?] gules, stalked and leaved vert; the other with the same bearings impaled in a lozenge with those of his wife, viz., Azure, three bear's heads couped argent muzzled gules, a rose of the last for difference. In a portrait of Johnston which hangs in Marischal College Hall a red flower [carnation?] is introduced above the right ear. XLI. Sir Thomas Crombie of Kemnay, Knight, by his last will and testament, bequeaths to the Provost, Baillies, and Council the sum of twenty thousand merks Scots for the maintenance of eight bursars, and the augmentation of the salaries of the Principal and four Regents. 5th July, 1641.* Be it kend till all men by thir presentis Me Sir thomas Crombie of Kemnay Knicht Forsaemeikle as I haue the landis and barronie of Kemnay and landis of Cragerne with the maner place of Kemnay and richt of the teinds of the saids lands and all thar pairts pendicles and pertinents lyand within the sheriffdome of Abd pertaineing to heretabilie purchasit and acquirit be me in my awne tyme by gods onlie help and providence and seeing that I haue not bairnes of my awne bodie gotten to succeid to me and that I intend to mortifie to gods glorie ane pairt of my meanes and with ane vthir pairt tharoff to benifit my narrest appeirand airs and successors and vthirs my kinspeopell and kyndlie freinds Lykas I haue libertie and power be my infeftments at quhatsumewer tyme in my lyftyme at any tyme befor my deceis it were at the werie hour of my death to mack grant and subscryve sic mortificationes dis "Jam prodeat ille Academiae Atlas, Abredoniae Decus et Benefactorum Phosphorus D. THOMAS CROMBAEUS à Kemnay, Eques Auratus, qui sapientiâ, fidelitate, in rebus maximis prudentiâ et dexteritate, et in omnibus, vitæ innocentiâ et morum suavitate, tantùm claruit, et de Principum optimo, et Regni primoribus meruit, ut ad Supremi vicecomitis Abredonensis eveheretur, omnium cum gratulatione, dignitatem, quam anteà maximæ et potentissimæ Regni familiæ tenebant semper, et ambibant; quamque Nobilissimi Errolii Comites, jure haereditario tenuerunt usque ad Floudonense Praelium, in quo Gulielmo Errolii Comite extincto, ipsius Filius minorennis, et Nobili Parente, et Vicecomitis officio orbatus est. Sed Virtus, quæ sola nobilitat, hunc nostrum Maecenatem et maximis, et optimis parem reddidit. "Inter omnes autem, quæ Heroicam CROMBEI animam ornabant Virtutes, nulla illustrior extitit, quàm indefessum bene faciendi, et bene merendi studium, præcipuè de Natalium ipsius loco, et nostra hac Academia: Illius etenim Gratiae et Benevolentiae magna ex parte debet Abredonia, amplitudinem, illam Jurisdictionis, quâ jam in Capitalibus fruitur. "Hic est, qui praeter quatuor Mercarum millia, Ptochodochiis Edinburgensi et Aberdonensibus legata, Academiae Marischallanae Triginta mercarum nostratium millia conse cravit: Nam decem mercarum millia Octo alendis, Philosophiae studiosis, totidemque augendis Gymnasiarchae et Philosophiae Professorum stipendiis destinavit, probè enim cog. noverat Vir optimus, quàm contracti fuerint nostri Reditus, quamque fuerit Res angusta, pones assignationes or vthir richts in ampill forme and in sic forme and maner as I sould think moist fitt and expedient And forsaemeikle as I haue not onlie tua sisters germane elspet and cristane crombie quha ar to succeid to me and ar my only lauchfull aperands airs and successors Tharfor I ordaine and apoint the saidis landis and barronie of Kemney and landis of Cragerne with the teindis tharof Togidder with maner place tower and fortailzie of Kemnay laitlie buildit . . . As sen soewer it sall pleas god to call me furth of this lyffe faillzieing of airs or bairnes ane or mair lauchfullie gottin of my owne bodie allanerlie and no wthirwayes To be sauld and disponit heritablie be my saids apeirand airs and thar spoussis or be thar airs Representing me or them with consent of the said dame marget Kere my spouss to the best availl with all convenient diligence without delay to quhatsumewer persone or persones that will buy the same The true pryce worth and awaill tharoff frie of all lyverent or vthir burdins I estimat to the sowme of ane hundreth thousand merkis scotis et curta Praeceptorum Supellex; et quod Honos alit Artes, omnesque gloriâ et praemiis ad studia incendantur: Ne igitur esurirent Musae, aut prae docentium media, perirent Literae, Nos in aeternum victurâ ipsius munificentia tibi divinxit, et ne deessent Marones, se mirificum praestitit Maecenatem: Sed Illi doctrinam, bonesque Literas propagare, ni etiam Religionem et Pietatem promovisset, non sufficiebat; ideoque alia Decem Mercarum millia, Verbi Divini in Franciscanorum Fano, Praeconi consecravit, ut juniorum mentes simul, et sanioris Eruditionis et purioris Religionis elementis imbuerentur. "O immensam munificentiam! Aureis primaevi Christianismi temporibus dignam! O gloriosam incomparabilis Viri pietatem! quae THOMAE nostro, in Sanctorum Calendario, locum optimo jure vendicat. "Tanta est hujus Liberalitatis magnitudo, ut eâdem obruti, referendæ gratiæ Nos impares testemur. Quanquam ergo, diversa docentium vocibus, Academia Marischallana perstrepat, omnium tamen VOX una est, Immenså D. THOMAE CROMBAEI largitione, depulsam esse inopiam et animos tum Praeceptorum, tum Studiosorum, antea marcentes penuriâ, jam erectos et ad optima quaeque dispositos esse, Ideoque, Assurge quicquid uspiam est docti Chori, Tantoque honores exhibeto nomini, Cui Musa nostra pangeret carmen lubens, Sed THOMAS major omni est praeconio." -Smith's Oratio, p. 23. In the shield assigned to Sir Thomas Crombie on the Heraldic Ceiling the bearings were, Argent, a bend engrailed azure between a mullet in chief and a crescent in base gules. The Crombie "broad" is wanting. Stodart (i., plate 118) shows a wholly different coat for Crombie. money at the leist or to any vthir soume less or mair may be had and gottin therfor Lykwayes I appoint and ordaine the pryce sowme and awaill tharoff with the sowme of twentie four thousand merkes monay dewe and auchtable to me to be destenat imployit satisfiet and payet to the particular persones and to the vses respectiue following Viz In the first I mortifie assigne and dispone to and in favour of the colledge of new abd callit Marshalls colledge the sowme of tuentie thousand merkes scots money Quharof the sowme of ten thousand for sustentatione helpe and provisione within the said colledge of aucht bursers and the anwel rent and profiet tharof according to aucht merkes the hundreth to be 3eirlie payit and given vp to ilk burser dureing the time of thar four 3eirs course as the same extends to 3eirlie for ilk bursars pairt to the sowme of ane hundreth merkes money And the sowme of other ten thousand mirkes money to be payit to the vse and benefit of the principall and four regents of the said colledge and the anvel rent and profitte therof acording to aucht merkes the hundreth to be distribut payit and 3eirlie given to the principall of the said colledge for the tyme onlie or to the regents or ather of tham in haill or in pairt at the sicht and discretione of the provest baillies and counsell of Abd for the tyme Quhome I apoint and nominat to be patrones and onlie guiders and governours to haue ane caire to sie the forsaid sowme of twentie thousand merkis warit imployit and bestowit wpon land sufficient band or anvel rent and the profeit and anvel rent tharof forsaid to be 3eirlie distribut and payit and givin to the particular persons respectiue aboue rehearsit as they will answeire to God Lykas I will and ordaine that giue the bursars or any of tham being receiuit and admittit within ye said colledge prowydit to the forsaid 3eirlie help and provision sall hapin to become insolent and not giue thar attendance and dewe obedience In that it salbe alwayes lesume to the saidis provest baillies and councell for the tyme patrones aboue namet be themselves efter sufficient tryall first takeing to depoiss and remove all such insolent and insolent and disobedient turbulland and deboarding bursers and frae all benifit and provisione and to admitt and accept and receiue new bursaris in thar vice and place alse oft as neid beis and that at all occasiones necessar And with provisione also that my neirrest folk and blood friends on the father and mother syd or of my name or of degree descendand ather in consanguinitie or affinitie salbe preferrit and haue richt befor any other person to the saids bursaris place benefit and prowisioun therof and to sae monie of tham as sall hapin to waik at all occasiones but any questione stop or impediment to be maid proponit or alledgit in the contrair Be thir presentis and ane vthir copie and double therof both writtin and subscriuit be me now in my health nawayes being seik or infirme and ane doubill giwin and deliuerit be me to the trust and keeping of Mr Patrik Chalmer shireff clerk of Abd and the third doubill now in my oune custodie or to be deliuerit be me to the trust of some vthir freind I haue subscriuit the same at Kemnay the fyft day of Julj the zeir of god Jmvjc fourtie ane 3eirs Before witnessis Mr John Seattoune minister at Kemnay Alex Simsone notar publict and Alex' Downie my serwitour [Et sic sub'] Tho Crombie of Kemnay Maister Jon Seattoune minister at Kemnay witnes to the subscription of the Laird of Kemnay the fyft day of Julij Jmvjc fourtie ane 3eirs Alex Simsone nottar publict witnes thairto Alexander Downie witnes thairto From a copy of the Testament Testamentar entered in the Town Council Register, Vol. li., p. 557. A codicil of date 22nd February, 1643, follows; then another of 5th March, 1644; and a third of same date in the following terms:-t Forder eftir due consideratione and resolution with myselff off my moneys and meines quherbe both my wyff and sisters ar sufficientlie helpit and prowydit I find me bund in conscience to provyd assigne and mortiefie Lykas I doe heirby presentlie mortifie assigne and dispone for the help and provisioun of ane sufficient minister to the colledge gray frier kirk off new Abd The principall sowme of ten thousand merkes dew to me be the earl of Findlatour conforme to * Here follow bequests to the Hospital and poor of Edinburgh, the Merchants' Hospital, Craftsmen's Hospital and poor of Aberdeen, and the Hospital and poor of Old Aberdeen; also to the testator's widow, sisters, and other relatives. + Another copy of a portion of the above extract is entered in the "Buik of Register ". |